Bombardier wins €17.7m maintenance contract

ScotRail has awarded Bombardier a €17.7m (£15.2m) contract to provide operational support and spare supply for the Class 170 Turbostar fleet. This extends an existing agreement to November 2014. The contract, worth £15.2m, will see bogie overhauls supplied via Bombardier’s Crewe CRO facility as well as the supply of planned materials in support of the fleet, backed by an availability and reliability performance regime. Des McKeon, commercial director at Bombardier Transportation, said: “This is a significant win for Bombardier as it maintains our involvement in the maintenance of ScotRail’s Turbostar fleet and builds on the diverse portfolio of contracts Bombardier has with FirstGroup, one of our key strategic customers.” Kenny Scott, ScotRail’s engineering director, said: “This contract underpins our continued investment in trains to meet the increasing demand for rail transport. “We welcome the extension of our agreement with Bombardier, with maintenance of the Class 170 Turbostar fleet playing a key role in our drive to encourage people to choose public transport over using their cars.” Transport Minister Keith Brown said: “An efficient railway is key to the Scottish Government’s purpose of increasing sustainable economic growth. “Our aim is to develop passenger-focused rail services and the maintenance of fleet is an important part of ensuring passengers have a positive journey experience as they travel between Scotland’s key cities. “This contract will not only help drive up standards for rail passengers but also benefit Scotland by supporting jobs during these challenging economic times.” Tell us what you think at opinion@railtechnologymagazine.com